More trouble in aviation sector as workers begin strike Monday

Nigerian aviation workers have announced their decision to embark on a two-day warning strike with effect from Monday May 9.

The announcement by the three labour unions in the sector is to protest government’s “failure to fulfil its promise to implement minimum wage consequential adjustment in the aviation parastatals since 2019, as well as the non-approval/release of the reviewed conditions of service in the parastatals since 2013”.

This is coming hours after domestic airlines said they would shut down flight operations from Monday over hike in aviation fuel price.

The three unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), said there was no going back on the industrial action.

They said this in a statement jointly signed by Ocheme Aba, NUATE general secretary; Abdulrazaq Saidu, ANAP general secretary; and Sikiru Waheed, AUPCTRE general secretary.

The unions directed their members working in aviation agencies such as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NiMET) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) to comply with the industrial action.

They said efforts by the ministry of aviation and the National Salaries, Incomes And Wages Commission (NSIWC) to resolve the issues have not been positive.

The unions further threatened that if nothing concrete came up after the warning strike, they would declare a total strike.

In February, the unions had notified airlines and the general public of withdrawal of air travel services in protest against poor welfare and unimplemented agreements.

Following intervention by the Federal Government, the industrial action was suspended.